1. Technical Field
The present invention relates in general to an improved miniature workpiece-handling device and, in particular, to an improved system, method, and apparatus for handling hard disk drive sliders during the debonding process.
2. Description of the Related Art
Referring to FIG. 1, a conventional slotted extender 11 for debonding single sliders during a slider fabrication process is shown. Prior to debonding, an elongated workpiece or row 13 is mounted to and supported by all of the pads 15 of the extender 11. The row 13 is typically bonded to the pads 15 with an adhesive substance. The row 13 has a width that is narrower than a width 17 of the pads 15, and is approximately equal in length to the combined length 19 of all of the pads 15. The pads 15 are spaced apart from each other by a narrow slit 21 that is usually less than 200 microns wide.
After the row 13 is mounted on the pads 15, the row 13 is processed as is known in the art, which includes cutting the row 13 into discrete sliders 23 (FIG. 2). The number of sliders 23 is typically equal to the number of pads 15. When processing of the sliders 23 is complete, the sliders 23 must be debonded from the pads 15. However, because the sliders 23 are so close to one another (i.e., spaced apart by approximately the widths of slits 21), they must be manually removed from the extender 11, typically with tweezers. The operator removes the sliders 23 from extender 11 and places them in an inspection tray 25. Unfortunately, the spacings 27 between the receptacles 29 in the inspection tray 25 are required to be significantly larger than the widths of slits 21 in better facilitate the debonding process.
The necessity of this manual transfer of the sliders 23 to the inspection trays 25 can cause handling damages to the sliders 23 and the addition of various forms of contamination. In addition, when the bond surfaces of the pads 15 are worn, defects are caused in subsequent cutting processes. Moreover, these issues give rise to incomplete coverage of the pole tips of the sliders 23 and an increased concern for corrosion. Thus, an improved system for handling hard disk drive sliders during the debonding process would be desirable.